Leadership

President

Scott Flanagan, Ed.D.

Dr. Scott Flanagan became the seventh president of Edgewood College on August 1, 2014.

He has served Edgewood College since 1998, as Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Vice President for Planning & Enrollment, interim Chief Financial Officer, and most recently as Executive Vice President. In addition, he has regularly taught a doctoral course in Higher Education Finance.

Dr. Flanagan previously served as Director of Admissions, Director of Athletics, and Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Services at the University of Saint Francis, in Ft. Wayne, Ind., where freshman classes tripled during his five years of leadership.

He has been a frequent presenter at national conferences on trends in higher education, strategic planning, enrollment management, leadership, and change management. He has also served as a consultant in the areas of enrollment management and strategic planning.

While a member of the Oregon, Wis. Board of Education, Dr. Flanagan was a key contributor to Accountability for Student Achievement, a policy paper which received recognition from the National Association of School Boards. Flanagan currently serves on the board of the Urban League of Greater Madison, and recently served as a member of the Commission on Financial Aid Consolidation and Modernization, created to improve financial aid in Wisconsin.

Flanagan holds a doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania, where his dissertation, ‘Reconciling Values during General Education Revision at Three Catholic Universities,’ was recognized with distinction. He earned an M.B.A. from the University of Saint Francis, and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an undergraduate degree in political science. He is married to Krista, a professional in event management. They have two children, Erin and Sean.

Dr. Flanagan is a native of Weyauwega, Wis., and is the son of Mike and Nancy, two retired Wisconsin public school teachers.

Maggie Balistreri-Clarke

Maggie Balistreri-Clarke

Vice President for Student Development/Dean of Students

Dr. Maggie Balistreri-Clarke currently serves as Vice President of Student Development/Dean of Students. She earned her B.S. degree from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a major in Psychology, and a minor in Sociology. She received an M.S. in Counseling and Guidance - College Student Personnel from Indiana University and her Ph.D. in Educational Administration - Higher Education Emphasis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also received a First Degree French Language Certificate from Université de Paris-Sorbonne.

Prior to serving at Edgewood College, Dr. Balistreri-Clarke served at Cardinal Stritch College for eight years as the Dean of Students and for two years as Vice President for Student Development/Dean of Students. She served as Assistant Dean of Students at Illinois Wesleyan University for three years and at Stephens College as a Women’s Studies Instructor and Residence Counselor for two years.

Dr. Balistreri-Clarke has received multiple professional honors, including being named a 2014 ‘Pillar of the Profession’ by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), and the Annabelle E. Wolfe Award for Outstanding Leadership from the Wisconsin College Personnel Association.

Christine Benedict

Christine Benedict

Vice President for Enrollment Management

Christine Benedict serves as the Vice-President for Enrollment Management. She comes to this role with 15 years of experience in higher education in the field of admissions and enrollment management.

Ms. Benedict is an alumna of Lawrence University where she majored in French and biology. She earned her master’s degree in Higher Education Administration at Indiana University. She began her career at the College in 2002 as an admissions counselor, and was promoted to the Director of Undergraduate Admissions in 2005. The College enjoyed several years of steady enrollment under her tenure.

In 2012, Ms. Benedict completed the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Michael Guns

Michael Guns

Vice President for Business and Finance

Prior to his current position, Mr. Guns served as Chief Financial Officer of Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan and as Vice President of Finance for a national health plan.

Mr. Guns is a Certified Public Accountant with public accounting experience serving mission-driven organizations including colleges and universities. He brings a wealth of financial management and facilities management expertise.

Maggie Hopkins, O.P.

Maggie Hopkins, O.P.

Vice President for Dominican Life & Mission

Maggie Hopkins, O.P., inspired by and aware that at the heart of all we do is relationship, assists the President, leadership and the College community in the ongoing education and promotion of Edgewood College as a liberal arts Catholic college in the Dominican Tradition.

Sr. Hopkins has served Edgewood College since April 1991. She became a vowed member of the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa in 1966.

Sr. Hopkins holds a bachelor’s degree from Mundelein College of Loyola University, a Masters degree in Theology from Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, and has completed post-graduate studies in Theology at the Consortium of Theological Schools, in Minneapolis, Minn.

Cristie Jacobs

Gary Klein

Gary Klein

Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Mr. Klein brings nearly twenty years of experience in fundraising and development in higher education. During that time he has demonstrated the ability to build a culture and system of philanthropy and the ability to build rapport with faculty, staff and donors.

Mr. Klein previously served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Viterbo University in La Crosse since 2002. During that time, he developed and led the successful completion of a capital campaign that generated more than $40 million for Viterbo, surpassing the original campaign goal.

Prior to his work at Viterbo, Mr. Klein served for five years at St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minn., where he progressed from Director of Major Gifts to Vice President for Institutional Advancement.

Dean Pribbenow

Dean Pribbenow

Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean

Dean Pribbenow, Ph.D. has served as Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean since July 2012.

Prior to his current role, Dr. Pribbenow served as Dean of the School of Integrative Studies for more than five years.

Dr. Pribbenow has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Luther College, a Master of Science degree in Counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.